Do you have questions on love, sex and relationships?

5 Things About Vaginas

You Need to Know!

1. Most of it is hidden.

What you see from the outside of a vagina is only a small part of what is there. The vagina is a hollow muscular tube that runs from its opening to a girl's cervix. The average length is around 8cm long, but they vary in size and length among women. The vagina is very elastic and can stretch to accommodate the penis and even to deliver a baby.

2. Don’t try wash it out.

Leave your vajayjay alone. Do not douche or try to put any liquid up it. Just wash the outer bits. Douching will remove the good bacteria and this could even lead to an infection in the vagina. If there’s an unusual or bad smell, it’s probably an infection and you need a quick visit to the clinic and some medication to clear it up.

3. Vaginas differ from person to person.

They can be long or shorter; they can tilt forward or backward. A girl’s labia (or outer lips) are equally varied - they can be brown, pink or deep red in colour, larger or smaller. All of this is normal and perfect.

4. It is vulnerable.

Girls are far more vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) than guys. Why? The vaginal lining is thinner than the skin on a penis and there’s more of it. Also the semen stays in the vagina longer. These things make it easier for bugs, like bacteria and viruses, to find a way to enter the body. Many STIs, especially those that cause sores or damage the membrane of the vagina, make the vagina even more vulnerable to HIV. That’s why it’s so important to get medicine to clear up STIs.

5. You can exercise it.

The entire vagina is a muscle so you can work it to tighten the muscles again (particularly after childbirth). Not sure where the muscles are? Stop your urine mid-flow and you will feel which muscles tighten. Then work at contracting them and holding them repeatedly a few times a day.

Many girls worry if they look normal down there. But more important is to protect your vajayjay from any infections, sexually transmitted or not. Two rules, never douche and, if you are having sex, always use a condom or Femidom. If you do have an itch or a smell, visit your clinic to get it treated.